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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. deal — to handle
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to bend
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bear — the animal
  13. object — to protest
  14. sharp — clever
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bear — the animal
  17. object — a thing
  18. snap — to click
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. object — an aim
  24. bear — to put up with

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com